Water-heater.



E. E. GRAHAM.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.14, 1909. 1,006,545, Patented 001124, 1911.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 1.

Witessee.

E. E. GRAHAM.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.14, 1909.

' Patented 0012 11911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ESEEEI ELMER E. GRAHAM, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed. December 14, 1909. Serial No. 533,059.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ELMER E. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Heaters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to instantaneous water-heaters, and has for its object the construction of a water-heater and automatic valve mechanism therefor, which will be economical both in construction and operation. In carrying out these objects of invention I construct hollow base and top members or headers, which I connect to gether by means of a plurality of watertubes, through which water supplied to one of the headers passes to the other header from which it may be drawn OK in the ordinary manner, and I also construct an automatic valve mechanism which is operated by decreasing the water pressure in the discharge pipe of the heater to increase the flow of liquid fuel to the heater mechanism.

The features of my invention are hereinafter fully set forth, and described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved water-heater and automatic valve mechanism. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line w-w in Fig. 1, looking downward. Fig. 3 is a transverse section thereof on the line y-y in Fig. 1, looking downward.

In these drawings A indicates the lower header or base of the heater, which is composed of a hollow water-ring A and the hollow gas-ring or burner A said rings being connected by means of the short metal arms a, so that air passages 00 are left between said rings. I also provide a trans verse fuel passage A into which liquid fuel is supplied from an ordinary mixer B through the fuel supply pipe B. Supported upon the walls of the passage A is a disk A concentric with the water and gas rings A and A upon which I place a tubular shell C, and the deflector C which surrounds the lower end of the shell G and operates to deflect air drawn in between the gas-ring A and the disk A outwardly and over the gas-ring A The purpose of the tubular shells, C and C is to confine the heat and products of combustion in a comparatively limited annular space in which are located the water tubes hereinafter described.

Between the water-ring or header A and gas-ring A and adjacent to said water-ring I place another tubular shell 0 the lower end of which rests upon the arms a, so that there is left, between said tubular shells C and G a cylindrical, annular space, which is, when the heater is in operation, filled with super-heated air. Outside of the water-ring or header A I place an outside shell C which extends somewhat above the upper terminals of the shells C and C the lower end of said outer shell C resting upon the flange a of the base, A.

Upon the upper end of the outer shell G I place the hollow upper member or header D, and secure the same in place by means of long stove bolt-s d in the ordinary manner.

The hollow chamber D, in the header D is placed in communication with the annular chamber inclosed by the walls of the water-ring or header A by means of watertubes E, as 1s dlagrammatically shown 111 Fig. 1 of the drawings. In these drawings these water-tubes spring from the upper surface of the water-ring A where they are secured by means of union joints to nipples e screwed into openings in the upper wall of said water-ring. These water tubes, E, pass through openings in the shell, C into the annular space between the shells, G and 0 Where said tubes E, are provided with a series of U-shaped return-bends, and are wound spirally around the shell, C, upwardly, the upper end of each tube E, communicating with the chamber, D, of the header, D, by means of the union-joints and nipples, e. In this arrangement I am enabled to employ long tubes in a relatively short space.

It will thus be seen that while the number of water-tubes E employed will increase the flow of water through the heater, the length of the same will'aifect the temperature of the water which flows therethrough.

T0 supply water to the heater I connect a water-supply pipe F with the water-ring A having a conical screen F over the discharge end thereof, said pipe F leading from a suitable source of water supply, not shown.

From the upper header D a discharge pipe D leads to any point or points where hotwater is desired at which point said pipe D is supplied with the usual faucet. From the pipe D a branch pipe G leads to an automatic valve mechanism H, having a chamber H in one end thereof covered by a cap H between which a diaphragm J ofrubber or other suitable flexible material is secured. In the intermediate portion of this mechanism I adjustably secure a bushing K, through which a valve-stem L slidably passes. On the upper end of this valvestem L is a disk L which bears against the under side of the diaphragm J and between said disk L and the upper end of the bushing K, I place a spring M. On the lower end of the valve-stem L, I secure a valve N. In the lower end of the valve-case I secure another bushing N, having in the upper end thereof a valve-seat opening N upon which the valve N seats. I then connect a gas-supply pipe 0 to the opening in the bushing N, leading from a suitable source of supply (not shown), said gas supply pipe being provided with a small branch pipe 0 leading to a suitable pilot jet adjacent to the burner, and in the pipe 0 below the branch pipe 0, I place a suitable shut-off valve P. From the valve mechanism a duct Q leads to the gas and air mixer B.

In operation water is admitted to the header A, water-tubes E and header D and constant pressure maintained therein and in the pipes D and F, which pressure through the branch G is communicated to the upper side of the diaphragm J thereby pressing down the valve N upon the valve-seat opening N and effectually closing the same against the passage of gas therethrough. Gas is then admitted to the pipe 0 and branch 0, and the pilot jet O ignited. When warm water is desired a tap (not shown) in the pipe D is opened thereby permitting water to flow out of said pipe, which lowers the pressure therein and in the branch Gr, and permits the spring M to raise the valve N off of its seat and thus permit gas to flow from the pipe 0 to the mixer B through the duct Q, and therefrom into the gas-ring A where it is ignited by the pilot light 0 and the products of combustion from said gas-ring A will completely fill the space between the shells C and C not occupied by the tubes E, and effectually heat water passing through said tubes as long as the tap (not shown) in the pipe D remains open. But as soon as said tap is closed the pressure in the pipe D and branch G again forces the diaphragm J and valve N downward until the valve-seat opening N is closed, which extinguishes the flame from the gas-ring A leaving only the small pilot flame from the jet 0 burning.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the amount of gas permitted to flow through the opening in the valve-seat N is regulated by the amount of flow from the pipe D Thus if the water in the pipe D is permitted to escape therefrom freely the valve N will be opened to its greatest extent, but if only a small stream is permitted to escape from the pipe D the valve N will be but slightly raised, and but little gas permitted to flow therethrough.

Therefore having fully described and illustrated my invention so as to enable others to construct and use the same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. The combination in a water heater, of an upper hollow header, a lower hollow annular header, a cylindrical shell within said annular header and extending upward therefrom, water-tubes leading from said annular header through openings in said cylindrical shell to said upper header, and a liquid fuel burner environed by said annular header, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a water heater, of an upper hollow header, a lower hollow annular header, a cylindrical shell embraced at its lower end by said annular header and extending upwardly therefrom, water tubes leading from said annular header through openings in the wall of said shell to said upper header, a liquid fuel burner environed by said annular header, and an outside cylindrical shell embracing said annular header and extending upwardly to said upper header having a vent opening therein, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination in a water heater, of a lower annular header, a liquid fuel burner environed by said annular header, a cylindrical shell mounted within said liquid fuel burner and extending upward therefrom, an outer cylindrical shell inclosing said annular header having a vent opening therein, an upper hollow header adapted to close the upper end of said outer shell, and a series of water tubes leading from said annular header to said upper header and arranged over said fuel burner, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a water heater of an upper hollow header, a lower annular header, a cylindrical shell within said annular header, and extending upward therefrom, water tubes leading from said annular header through openings in said cylindrical shell to said upper header, a liquid fuel burner environed by said annular header, and a cylindrical shell mounted thereon and extending upward therefrom, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a water heater of a base casting, having formed therein an annular water ring and a liquid fuel burner concentric with said water ring, a cylindrical shell mounted within and extending upward from said fuel burner, another cylindrical shell embraced by said water ring and extending upward therefrom, an upper hollow header, water tubes leading from the annular water ring through openings in the last mentioned cylindrical shell to said upper header having return bends formed therein and spirally arranged over said fuel burner between said shells, and an outer cylindrical shell inclosing said annular water ring and extending upward therefrom to said upper hollow header, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afl ix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

H. M. STURGEON, P. V. Girrom).

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, I). G. 

